SAFETY

Safety and superstition: when aviation mix up with the religion

Officials of Nepal Airlines are preparing to sacrifice a goat before a Boeing 757 on the Tribhuvan Kathmandu international airport, to stave off the failures of its planes.

In september 2007, the airline Nepal Airlines sacrificed two goats in offering a Hindu god to stave off a series of technical failures on its Boeing 757. The Nepalese national carrier, in trouble, was forced in August to suspend its international flights for ten days after two planes were grounded for mechanical failures.

Officials of Nepal Airlines Corporation bowed low before the plane by sacrificing two goats to avoid any further technical problem in flight, explained the company spokesperson. "The goats have been offered to appease Akash Bhairab, the Hindu god of heaven represented on all our planes'', he said. The animals were beheaded, with the help of a traditional knife, at a ceremony before a Boeing 757 aircraft at the Kathmandu airport .

Nepal Airlines operates two Boeing 757 for its international flights, one is currently in Brunei for a full maintenance check. The second is in Kathmandu, the Nepalese capital, and is supposed to be operational.

After the sacrifice of the two goats, the plane was able to perform a flight to Hong Kong, following two aborted takeoffs , according to the company. Nepal is a Himalayan kingdom of 27 million people, which 80% are Hindus.

The national airline ensures seven international destinations to India, Japan and China. But Nepal Airlines is shaken by scandals of corruption and mismanagement.

But the religious beliefs can compel companies to adapt.

El Al, the Israeli company, which despite its privatization last year, does no flight the day of Sabbath, the rest day in the Jewish religion. The El Al Director General for Western Europe explain the company have maintained that principle in order to not offend its religious clientele.

Regarding the Muslim religion, it seems it is possible to conciliate Ramadan and professional activities, for air crew as explained a Muslim cabin attendant. "The more difficult is not to drink, especially because of the very dry air in the airplane, but not eating is not really an issue.

It's more delicate, for pilots, explain the Air Ivoire director, who however says he never faced this issue in Sub Saharan Africa. There is much more flexibility in Sub Saharan Africa regarding the Ramadan practice, unlike the Maghreb, where there are more concern for social conventions than religious beliefs.

Therefore the subject seems more sensitive in the Maghreb. Neither Tunis Air, or RAM have wished to speak about. But, a verse from the Koran free of Ramadan, travelers, sick or pregnant women. In Asia, the Singapore Airlines air crew Muslims have a certain tolerance reagarding to their rite, in order to shift the Ramadan time, as indicated by some verses of Koran.